The genome of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa generalized transducing bacteriophage F116

F116 is a temperate, pilus-specific, generalized transducing phage belonging to the Podoviridae virus family. Its genome is linear, ds, TR, and CP DNA with a GC content of 63.2%. The 65 195-bp genome contains 70 putative ORFs, only 16 of which showed sequence similarity to Pseudomonas genomic or phage genes. While the current literature suggests that F116 is a non-integrating phage that maintains itself as a plasmid during the lysogenic life cycle, a putative int gene was identified. Of the phage structural genes, only the portal protein could be identified by homology. Analysis of F116 structural protein by one-dimensional SDS-PAGE revealed approximately 15 bands. MALDI-TOF MS analysis identified the gene encoding the major capsid protein. This protein appears to undergo posttranslational cleavage giving rise to a smaller capsid protein. (c) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.